Knockback Jinx

Knockback Jinx
Incantation	Flipendo (fli-PEN-doh)
Type	Jinx
Hand movement
Light	Blue, orange, yellow red, purple or white
Effect	Knocked target back

"Knocks objects and creatures backwards."

— Description

The Knockback Jinx (Flipendo) was a jinx that knocked the target backwards. While prominently used for duelling, it could also be used to push heavy objects. It was covered in Quentin Trimble's The Dark Forces: A Guide to Self-Protection, a Defence Against the Dark Arts textbook.

History

"Today we will be learning the Knockback Jinx–an excellent spell for pushing things out of the way!"

— Professor Flitwick introducing this spell to first-year students in Charms class

The Knockback Jinx in action

During the 1984–1985 school year at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, Professor Filius Flitwick taught his first-years how to cast this jinx in Charms class.

During the 1991–1992 school year, this jinx was instead taught to first-years in the Defence Against the Dark Arts class by Professor Quirinus Quirrell, who were taught how to cast the spell both defensively and practically.

A spellbook detailing how to cast this spell was owned by Garrick Ollivander.

This spell was heavily used by volunteer members of the Statute of Secrecy Task Force to help knock back beasts that were guarding various Confoundables, such as gnomes, pixies and trolls, to overpower the strange artefacts and return them to their rightful place.

Effect

The Knockback Jinx, depending on the point of impact, might feel like a blow to the chest, knocking back a victim or object, or might feel like being knocked over the head with a frying pan, leaving the victim a bit disoriented. A "loud bang" was also emitted when cast. The jinx could also break fragile objects.

Knockback Jinx Duo, Flipendo Tria and Flipendo Maxima were all more powerful variations of the Knockback Jinx which all knocked the target back with greater force.

Known uses

"There was a loud bang and he felt himself flying backwards as if punched; as he slammed into the kitchen wall and slid to the floor, he glimpsed the tail of Lupin's cloak disappearing round the door."

— Remus Lupin uses this spell on Harry Potter

Caster(s)	Date	Notes
Unidentified 19th-century Hogwarts student	1890–1891 school year	Taught this spell by Professor Mirabel Garlick.
Merula Snyde	1984–1985 school year	Used this jinx on Jacob's sibling, Rowan Khanna, and Ben Copper in the Clock Tower Courtyard before the start of their duel.
Minerva McGonagall	1985–1986 school year	Used this jinx in a failed attempt to free Ben Copper from cursed ice.
Jacob's sibling	1986–1987 school year	Attempted to use this jinx on Corrine Cribb with wandless magic in Knockturn Alley, although Cribb was able to dodge the jinx.
	1988–1989 school year	Frequently used this jinx in Defence Against the Dark Arts class to repel Pixies.
		Used this jinx on Chiara Lobosca to knock her out of the way of Ismelda and her friends' Full Body-Bind Curse.
		Used this jinx to incapacitate Rowan Khanna when they were bewitched with the Imperius Curse.
	1990–1991 school year	Used this jinx to knockback a Doxy that had bitten Corey Hayden in the Artefact Room.
		Used it to knock the Doxy Queen into bathwater mixed with Doxycide in the Prefects' Bathroom to drown her.
		Wandlessly used it to push the Crown of Mneme in the Shrieking Shack under a piano so they could escape their father Peregrine and Verucca Buckthorn-Snyde.
Bill Weasley	1986–1987 school year	Used it in an attempt to break Tulip Karasu's padlock on Jacob's room, but was unsuccessful.
Ismelda Murk	1988–1989 school year	Used this jinx to knock Jae Kim off this broomstick during the final round of the Tournament of Clubs, rendering him unconscious.
Dobby (possibly)	30 May 1993	After Lucius Malfoy realised that Harry Potter had freed Lucius's House-elf, Dobby, with a sock, he made to attack Harry. To protect Harry, Dobby used magic that sent Lucius flying backwards. As this was accomplished by House-elf magic - without a wand - it was probably not the same as a traditional Knockback Jinx, but the effect was certainly comparable.
Alastor Moody (possibly)	18 June 1996	During the Battle of the Department of Mysteries, Alastor Moody possibly used this jinx to knock a Death Eater off the ground and hit a large rock before disappearing behind it.
Severus Snape	June 1997	Used this jinx on Harry Potter when escaping Hogwarts Castle alongside the Death Eaters.
Remus Lupin	1 September 1997	On 1 September 1997, Harry had this spell used on him once more, this time by Remus Lupin at 12 Grimmauld Place.
Draco Malfoy	September 2020	Used in a duel against Harry Potter in Harry's house.

Known practitioners

Mirabel Garlick

Unidentified 19th-century Hogwarts student

Jacob's sibling

Merula Snyde

Penny Haywood

Felix Rosier

Ben Copper

Bill Weasley

Victor Ketsueki

Chiara Lobosca

Ismelda Murk

Garrick Ollivander

Filius Flitwick

Quirinus Quirrell

Harry Potter

Hermione Granger

Ron Weasley

Fred Weasley

Remus Lupin

Gilderoy Lockhart

Minerva McGonagall

Severus Snape

Draco Malfoy

Gregory Goyle

Vincent Crabbe

• Rowan Khanna

Etymology

The spell's incantation is derived from the English words "flip" and "end", simply meaning "to flip someone onto their end".

Behind the scenes

A Flipendo Button

Flipendo as seen in Harry Potter: Puzzles & Spells

This spell's wand movement as seen in Harry Potter: Wizards Unite

• This spell seems to have originated in the early video game adaptations rather than in the books or films. It was then known only by its incantation, Flipendo (except the PS1 versions), and appeared to be cast mostly on objects and occasionally on animate targets such as creatures and humans.
  • In those games, Harry (the player) can cast this spell on Flipendo Buttons to activate certain mechanisms such as lifting a portcullis or moving flying platforms.
• This jinx can be bought at Wiseacre's Wizarding Equipment in Diagon Alley in LEGO Harry Potter: Years 1-4 (where the spell produces a red light), and in Weasleys' Wizard Wheezes in LEGO Harry Potter: Years 5-7 (where conversely, it produces a purple light). In both games, as opposed to knocking the target over, it sends them flying in the air and causes them to strike hard upon the ground twice.
• Every time Harry had this jinx used on him, it was because he had called the caster a coward.
• In the film adaptations, the Stunning Spell can have the same effects of this jinx - knocking an opponent over or sending them flying through the air, though it can also simply render the target unconscious or sedated without exerting force on them. The spell also shares similarities with the Disarming Charm and the Banishing Charm, with that in the films, it is used to knock down or send a target flying, sometimes to the extent of rendering a target unconscious.
• In some video game adaptations, specifically the older titles, the Knockback Jinx was used as the main spell for attacking creatures.
• In Harry Potter: Hogwarts Mystery, the Knockback Jinx is covered in Charms class. This seems somewhat unusual, as defensive and offensive spells have not been shown as being part of the Charms curriculum, but Defence Against the Dark Arts instead. Though jinxes, hexes and curses can be grouped together in a category called Dark charms, meaning by definition they are considered charms. It can also be used in Duelling as a Sneaky move, dealing 15 base damage, boosted by high Courage.

Appearances

• Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone (video game) (First appearance)
• Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets (Possible appearance)
• Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets (film) (Possible appearance)
• Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets (video game)
• Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban (video game) (Not in PC version)
• Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire (video game)
• Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix (Possible appearance)
• Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix (film) (Possible appearance)
• Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix (video game) (NDS and GBA versions only)
• Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince
• Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince (film)
• Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince (video game) (Mobile version only)
• Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows
• Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1 (video game) (NDS version only)
• Harry Potter and the Cursed Child
• Harry Potter and the Cursed Child (play)
• Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them: The Original Screenplay (Possible appearance)
• Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them (film) (Possible appearance)
• Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald - The Original Screenplay (Possible appearance)
• Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald (Possible appearance)
• Pottermore
• Harry Potter Trading Card Game
• LEGO Harry Potter: Years 1-4
• LEGO Harry Potter: Years 5-7
• Harry Potter: Hogwarts Mystery
• Harry Potter: Wizards Unite
• Harry Potter: Magic Awakened
• Hogwarts Legacy

See also

• Banishing Charm
• Everte Statum
• Flipendo Maxima
• Flipendo Tria
• Knockback Jinx Duo